Through the breaking skies and collapsing icy earth, one question had slipped away like an eel.
What had been Orochimaru doing hundreds of feet deep into the ice anyway?!
With Kai needing all the cards just to Survive against the 12th-floor Contestant, it didn't make sense for him to let go of Orochimaru on a run.
However, even in those times, Kai had been planning several steps.
No matter what reasons the Timeline or DEATH had given him to go into the Cursed Vault of Ice, he hadn't forgotten the prime objective.
Herpo the Foul's Horcrux!
As told to him by the Lord of Azkaban, who was now hidden at Cunestune, the Cured Vault of Ice hid the Ice Horcrux, Glacial Cursed Ice, deep into its womb.
This Horcrux was not only the power source behind the Cursed Ice but as long as it existed, there was no truly getting rid of the ice as well.
As long as the Glacial Cursed Ice existed, the Cursed Ice would keep trying to take over the world, freezing all and everything in its path.
So, Kai had directed the Legendary Sannin to search for the Horcrux while he fought against the Mad Commander.
And Orochimaru had indeed found the magical object.
Unfortunately, Black Ghost decided to catch the Character before he could get his hands on the Horcrux.
However, that had been the case within the Blood World.
After using Blood Prophecy, Kai had already known the location of Glacial Cursed Ice, which he shared with Orochimaru.
Before Black Ghost got his hands on the legendary Sannin this time, the tumor within Orochimaru had already hidden the Horcrux within it.
The only thing to take note of was that Kai had never planned to let the Timeline or DEATH know that the Horcrux within the Cursed Vault of Ice was gone. He wanted it to be his gambling chip, to be used later against the Deep One, if needed.
Things deviated from what Kai had planned them out, though.
The Bounded Field, keeping the Cursed Vault of Ice out of the Timeline's reach, shattered.
HER Gaze descended, ripping the Timeline Invader who had already angered the Timeline. SHE also learned the fact that Kai had been trying to hide.
…
"Where is it?" SHE demanded, planting HER green eyes on him. "The Horcrux."
Kai gave the icicles blooming out of the corners another, fleeting look. Then he stood up and patted his clothes.
"I have it," Kai told the Timeline with Calm, using the Elite Ability to prevent HERmysteries from looking into his destiny. "But… I don't have the means to destroy it, yet."
The girl in the Mirror narrowed her eyes before letting out a smile. "Very well," the Timeline said, giggling. "You almost died."
Kai shook his head. "I survived," he corrected.
The Timeline narrowed her eyes again, but with obvious satisfaction.
Killing the Timeline Invader, just as Black Ghost unsealed his true powers… IT couldn't have asked for a better scenario, Kai knew.
The Timeline's act of descending and killing the Contestant, who was obviously backed by the Order of the Immortal Lotus, would send a clear and sharp message to everyone.
A message that oozed with horror — Know Thy Limits!
For the first time, Kai realized the true terror of the powers that the Storm Pirates possessed.
Without surpassing the Timeline in sheer strength, there was no surviving even HER gaze.
Kai looked at the girl in the mirror and demanded, "… your end of the deal."
The Timeline smirked and then vanished.
Kai's brows lifted, but he didn't panic.
It happened, then.
BOOM!
…
It was as if a mountain had fallen on Kai's head. Knowledge beyond his control seeped into his mind, contorting Ad Infinitum's principles.
The Mirror of Erised…
Looking into the Past and Future…
Pulling out one's greatest desire to the Present…
The Obsession…
No Defense!
Kai roughly learned how the Mirror of Erised worked and his mind rocked with an obvious thought.
The Mirror of Erised was one of the most broken Artifacts in the Multiverse!
And for even Timeline to refuse to talk about its origin became the greatest mystery for Kai as of this moment.
However, the infusion of memories didn't stop there.
A new set of memories was materializing in Kai's mind, bringing them to life.
The image in the Mirror letting out a demonic, filthy grin…
The redness was creeping in the mirror…
The image using Kai's Shikai…
And then, in pure terror; horror beyond horrors; the image smiling again, sending a chill running down Black's spine, before letting go of the swords…
Crac-K-ck———ckkkck!
Boo—ooooo ———mmmmmmm!
Space cracked.
The Mirror shattered.
Black vanished. Memories got erased.
In the room, filled with hideous spatial cracks and floating shards of the Mirror of Erised, nothing left anymore.
Words echoed for long until the time regained its momentum.
Even then, if one were to stand in the room, one could hear the hisses, slithering through the shadows, distorting all and everything.
Those words were —
"Ban-Kai!
… Ayin Me'yesh!!!"
…
Next to Kai, an existence blurred into existence.
An 11-year-old boy. He had short, black hair and black eyes. He was wearing a maroon sweater with B written on it.
Black had returned.
The moment Black materialized fully, his memories resurrected within all minds.
Rushing toward the Cursed Vault of Ice, Professor Dumbledore and Madam Villanelle paused, their face paling as they realized the worth and consequences of something like this.
"So Harry was right," the Headmaster mumbled.
Madam Villanelle lacked the words to even comment on this now.
"Memory manipulation on this scale," Dumbledore mumbled again, his pace never slowing. "I only know a few who are capable of this."
Villanelle paused. "The Order had nothing to do with this, Albus," she told him, her cheeks gaining color. If the Seats had done something behind her back, then it would be the greatest matter of shame, she knew.
"Hasn't it?" Albus doubted. "The Order does possess the tendency to interfere in the lives of children."
Madam Villanelle licked her lips.
On the other side of the Castle, Snape and McGonagall's steps had halted as well.
They shared a trembling glance and then looked at Draco and Ron who had forgotten to close their mouths.
"No way!" Ron exclaimed. He turned around and rushed to the Headmaster's office where Harry was.
Draco didn't follow Ron, but he ran, too, heading toward the Gryffindor Dormitory.
Not only them, but within the White Serpent HQ, Meg, who had returned with crucial info, Spawn, and Red Sun were planning their next steps when they recalled Black and Kai's existence.
They shot to their feet, their faces going white.
…
Back into the hall where the Mirror of Erised stood, Kai and Black looked at each other.
"Let's not keep the Total Unsynchronization anymore," Kai suggested.
Black's lips twitched. "I guess. Not bored anymore, anyway."
The nature of their conversation was nonchalant, of course, but it was primely full of elation.
Joy and Grandness!
At last, after struggling with it for a long time, and after just who knew how many Lucky Intuitions, they had finally seen a path toward achieving their Bankai.
The thing was, with Black not having his original memories anymore, and Kai receiving all the memories directly into his mind via the Ad Infinitum, the two monsters failed to notice…
… that the name of the Bankai they both heard from the Mirror of Erised…
… wasn't the same anymore.
**************
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